Barcelona have crashed out of the 2022/23 Champions League with dire financial implications after Inter Milan cruised to a 4-0 win over Viktoria Pizen at the San Siro on Tuesday, October 26.
As if that was not enough, Bayern Munich met FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou afterward to smash them 3-0, over a month after Bayern defeated Barca 2-0 in Germany. This means that Bayern have now won six straight matches against Barcelona with a combined score of 22-4.
Indeed, more difficult days may be awaiting the Catalans ahead after they were bundled out of the UEFA Champions League for two consecutive football seasons.
Barcelona had a great chance to boost their hope of qualifying for the knockout of Europe’s elite club tournament in a doubleheader against Serie A giants Inter Milan but blew it.
Viktoria Pizen were the weeping boys in the group, the battle to reach the next stage of the competition was between three heavyweights – Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and the Catalans.
Bayern Munich were already flying high, making it two wins in two matches, and were set to make it to the knockout of the tournament even before their second leg meeting with Barcelona on Tuesday.
As it stands, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich have successfully qualified for the knockout round of the Champions League to the detriment of Barca who finished third in the Group C with a game in hand.
A double-header fixture on matchday three and four was a golden opportunity for the Catalans to boost their chances of making it to the next round.
Barcelona traveled to the San Siro for the first leg of the encounter and recorded a surprised 2-1 defeat.
Despite returning to Camp Nou relinquishing three points to Inter Milan, the Catalans still had some level of control over their knockout chances as they awaited the return leg at Camp Nou.
The Serie A giants landed in Camp Nou for the Champions Leg match day four clash – a make-or-mar tie to determine who joins Bayern Munich in the knockout.
It was a dramatic game. Barcelona took the lead but later slipped to the visitors, who pulled a come-back to stay on the lead twice before finally settling for a dramatic 3-3 draw.
Inter Milan nearly secured all three points before Robert Lewandowski’s stoppage-time header secured a 3-3 draw for the Catalans as they salvaged a point from the visitors.
Despite securing a point from the game, Barcelona were technically out of the competition – chances of making it to the next round slipped off their control as they banked on the outcome of the match between Inter Milan and Viktoria Pizen.
Vitoria Pizen needed to beat Inter Milan or at least salvage a point from the Serie A giants if Barcelona must make it to the next round of the competition.
A point for Viktoria Pizen at the San Siro was unlikely, talkless of a win against the Serie A giants.
Victoria Pizen were yet to salvage a point in the group and had lost all their matches. Hence the Catalans were technically out of the tournament.
While warming up for the game against Bayern Munich, the result from San Siro filtered in.
The Catalan’s nightmare was confirmed as Inter Milan pummelled Pizen by four unreplied goals.
Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League for two consecutive football seasons for the first time since 1988 and 1989.
The Financial situation of Barcelona turns dire after Champions League exit
Barcelona’s Champions League exit is a massive blow to the heavy sums invested in reinforcing the team last summer.
The Catalans, who were saddled with massive debt, pulled the triggers and liquidated some of its assets, spending £150m to sign new players into the team.
According to the Sun, the early exit from the 2022/23 Champions League has worsened Barcelona’s volatile financial situation.
Their current debt profile stands at £1billion. Their budget was geared towards the hopes of making it to the Champions League quarterfinals, with the projected revenue from ticket sales and other acreage.
The exit from the Champions League means that they will lose £18million projected revenue deepening the worsening financial status of the club.
